Well when Arizona State and Texas took the field, everyone was expecting a pitchers duel. The two teams didn't disappoint, as Texas sent out big right-hander Cole Green to the mound and Arizona State sent Mike Leake out again to try and redeem himself against the Horns. Questions were raised during pre-game as rumor had it that Leake was suffering from some tendonitis. ASU head coach Pat Murphy did confirm this during his in-game interview with Kyle Peterson.
The 1st two innings went through quickly as the game was scoreless entering the 3rd. The hottest hitter anywhere on the planet, Kole Calhoun, stepped into the box and sent a single right back up the middle to bring in the 1st run and ASU jumped out on top 1-0. They wouldn't hold the lead long as Texas answered right back in the bottom half of the inning as Texas 3B Micheal Torres got a hold of one and parked it in the RF bleachers to tie the game at 1. ASU wouldn't let it stay tied for long as they answered right back in the 4th, as Drew Maggi sent a shot right back up the box to give ASU the lead back at 2-1. The Sun Devils would hold the lead at 2-1 heading into the bottom of the 5th and Texas would battle back to tie the game back up at 2 as Travis Tucker singled to bring Cameron Rowe home.
Arizona State got all they could out of Mike Leake before pulling him after 6 strong innings. His final line was 6 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, and 7 K's over 85 pitches. Texas ace Cole Green also was pulled after 6 strong, and his final line was, 6 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 6 K's and 3 BB, over 110 pitches. The game would now be in the hands of each team's top reliever. Austin Wood, known for his 13 innings of shutout ball against BC in the 25 inning marathon, checked in to the game in the 7th inning and would throw 2 shutout innings, as would top Sun Devil reliever Mitchell Lambson.
We would enter the 9th inning tied at 2 and it wouldn't last long. Second round draft pick Jason Kipnis would lead off the inning with an infield single but then move to 2nd on a wild throw. The next 2 hitters, including hot hitting Kole Calhoun would be retired, and ASU had 1 out to get Kipnis home. Zach Wilson wouldn't dissapoint as he sent a ball down the RF line, where a stretched out Kevin Keyes couldn't reach it and Kipnis scored as Wilson pulled in to 3rd with a hopeful GW RBI triple, and force another game tomorrow night.
Unfortuanately, the Texas Longhorns had other plans as the bottom of the 9th inning began. Following a Brandon Loy leadoff strikeout, Cameron Rupp stepped into the box. If you remember back to Tuesday night, Rupp had 2 huge homeruns, including the solo shot in the 7th that would give Texas the lead for good. Rupp wouldn't dissapoint this time either as he took the Lambson delivery deep to CF and over the batters eye, and from my estimates about 430+ foot shot to tie the game back up at 3. There was then 2 outs when 9 hole hitter, centerfielder Cameron Rowe, took his turn in the box. He wouldn't wait long as he sent the 2nd pitch he saw deep to left field, and it just cleared the fence by 2 rows, and Texas walks off with a 4-3 win. Rowe sprinted around the bases, 1 hand in the air, and the other up in the air carrying his helmet.
Texas now advances to take on LSU in the championship series, which is a best of 3, beginning Monday night.
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